That's a Wrap: ODSL Ends Another Season

by Stephen F. Ball

Originally published at 11:58 p.m., July 29, 2008
Updated at 6:00 p.m., July 30, 2008

The Old Dominion Swim League wrapped up its season Saturday at Sterling Park Swim Club with its All-Star meet, which featured nearly 700 swimmers, from ages 6 to 18, competing in 52 events.

All 22 teams were represented, including five swimmers from Stoneleigh Golf Club and 60 from the Lovettsville Dolphins.

But it was the Courts and Ridges Lightning, with 43 swimmers, that had the most team success, sweeping the boys’, girls’ and combined titles.

The 19 Lightning boys accumulated 351 points to outdistance Exeter, which had 254. Courts and Ridges, with 24 female swimmers, edged Lovettsville, 243-235.

The 594 combined points was enough to beat out Exeter’s combined total of 432.50.

"I was extremely pleased, looking at all the times, every single kid we brought posted their lowest times of the year," Lightning Coach Beverly Kelley said. "We had an 8-year-old take 1:05 off their time in one case, many shaved over two seconds off. They really showed up to win."

Among the swimmers Kelley noted were Marissa Coggins (who set an ODSL record in the 9-10 girls' 50 backstroke with a time of 40.90 seconds), Emily Adams, Brenden Cremmins, Austin Whiticker, Janet Forbes and Megan Ellis. Steven Thalblum set a league record in the 7-8 boys' 25-meter backstroke with a time of 22.72 seconds.

Other ODSL records were set on Saturday by South Riding's Ryan Fisher (6-and-under 25-meter backstroke, 25.82 seconds); Courts and Ridges Will Brandt (8-and-under 25-meter butterfly, 20.59 seconds); Stoneleigh Golf Club's Jack Forrest (9-10 50-meter breastroke, 47.24 seconds); Lenah Run's Amesha Tomlinson (13-14 50-meter backstroke, 33.21 seconds); the Eeliminators' Michael Paul Stefanick (13-14 50-meter backstroke, 30.54 seconds); Courts and Ridges Tom Casey (15-18 50-meter freestyle, 26.24 seconds and 15-18 50-meter backstroke, 29.18 seconds); and Courts and Ridges Cameron Lucas (15-18 50-meter breastroke, 33.63 seconds and 15-18 100-meter individual medley, 1:05.69).

There were plenty of notable individual performances on other teams.

Kylie Jordan of the Red Rock Rockets swept the girls’ 9-10 freestyle, butterfly and individual medley. Jordan, who does not swim year-round, swam faster than her seed time in the freestyle (34.36) and individual medley (1:32.28).

Photo Gallery

ODSL All-Star Meet

Photo: 0/1

« Previous | Next »

Larger Version

Another race, this one the girls' 13-14 50-meter freestyle, gets underway at the ODSL All-Star meet on Saturday in Sterling. (Tracy A. Woodward)

Larger Version

Michael J. Fowler of Broadlands swims in the boys' 15-18 50-meter backstroke during Saturday's ODSL All-Star meet in Sterling. (Tracy A. Woodward)

Larger Version

The next wave of swimmers is brought up to the starting area during Saturday's ODSL All-Star meet in Sterling. They keep a hand on the shoulder of the person in front so they do not get out of order. (Tracy A. Woodward)

Larger Version

Maggie Finan of the Belmont Sharks swims in a Heat 3 of the girls' 7-8 25-meter freestyle during Saturday's ODSL All-Star meet in Sterling. (Tracy A. Woodward)

Larger Version

Members of the Landsdowne team share a cheer before the start of Saturday's ODSL All-Star meet. (Tracy A. Woodward)

Larger Version

At the ODSL All-Star meet in Sterling, 14-year-old Alyssa Meyer of the Barracudas (left) and 13-year-old Kaitlyn Dooley of the Stingrays share time together before their events. Kaitlyn is writing "Kaitlyn is best" on Alyssa's leg. (Tracy A. Woodward)

View all thumbnails

Tavistock’s Matthew Perkins, who does not swim year-round and was seeded 16th in the boys’ 11-12 boys’ breast, took 4.66 seconds off his seed time to finish fifth in 46.17.

Justin Zeidman of Exeter, in his first year with the Eagles, won the boys’ 15-18 butterfly in 29.01.

Ryan Fisher (Franklin Park Stingrays) and Ethan Schaefer (Spring Lake Dolphins) finished 1-2 in the boys’ 6-and-under 25-meter backstroke, taking several seconds off their seed time. Fisher, seeded at 28.59, won the race in 25.82. Schaefer was seeded at 31.75 and swam in 26.98 Saturday.

The league was started in 2004 to accommodate the growing population in Loudoun County, with an emphasis on developing swimmers in a nurturing environment.

"Our team and the league in general is as much a social activity for the kids as an athletic one," said Kelley, who also coaches at Broad Run High School.

The league, which features teams ranging from including 38 to 200-plus swimmers, comprises more than 2,700 competitors.

Scholarship Winners

During Saturday’s meet, the league awarded scholarships to three swimmers, all of whom were have been involved in the league for several years.

Twins Meghan and Nicole Butt, who swam for the Rivercrest Riptide, split the $500 scholarship awarded to a deserving female swimmer. The 18-year-olds maintained a 4.0 or better grade-point average during their high school years at Dominion. Meghan will attend the University of Virginia and Nicole will go to William and Mary.

The Butts swam previously swam for Sugarland Run and Countryside Waves before the Rivercrest team was started last year.

"Meghan and Nicole continue to be role models for our swimmers in and out of the water," said Sharon Brandt, Rivercrest Riptide’s team representative. "We know there will be many more achievements out of these two amazing young girls."

The twins will return next year and coach another season with the Riptide.

On the boys’ side, Dusty Skyler won a $500 scholarship. He will pursue a degree in music at Radford University. Skyler attended Heritage High School and has been a member of the Exeter Eagles since he was 6.

More Notables

Other records this season were set by Rivercrest’s Justin Guilfoyle (6-and-under 25-meter freestyle, 20.27 seconds in a July 2 meet); Stefanick (13-14 50-meter butterfly, 31.67 seconds in a July 9 meet); and Franklin Park’s Nick Robinson (13-14 50-meter breaststroke, 35.88 seconds in a July 2 meet).

Snow’s Presence Felt

Of the nearly 700 swimmers participating, more than 250 were Snow swimmers scattered across several league teams. About 80.percent went home with medals.

Snow swimmers Sophie Newton, 14, who competed for the Greenway Gators, and Caleigh Hensley, 13, who competed for the Brambleton Bettas, squared off in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly. They finished first or second in each of their races against each other, with Hensley taking the freestyle and Newton the butterfly.

"We’re good friends. As long as one of us won, that’s all that mattered," Newton said after her butterfly win.

Hensley added, "But we both still want to go out and beat each other."

Newton and Hensley are members of Snow’s highly competitive national program. Led by former Canadian Olympic coach Mike Pliuskaitis, who coaches with the Spring Lakes Dolphins, Snow’s national program prepares swimmers to compete for college scholarships or the junior Olympics.

"In the early stages, its about fun," Pliuskaitis said. "We try to develop skill and interest. Once those two things are there and both the kid and parent are ready, we go to work."

Tagged: Old Dominion Swim League, swimming, swimming results, youth sports

Your Thoughts...

Will you make a New Year's resolution this year?